Entertainment

Wearables have expanded into the entertainment space by creating new ways to experience digital media. Virtual reality headsets and augmented reality glasses have come to exemplify wearables in entertainment. The influence of these virtual reality headsets and augmented reality glasses are seen mostly in the gaming industry. Virtual reality headsets such as the Oculus Rift, HTC Vive, and Google Daydream View aim to create a more immersive media experience by either simulating a first-person experience or displaying the media in the user’s full field of vision. Television, films, and video games have been developed for these devices. In a 2014 expo, Ed Tang of Avegant presented his “Smart Headphones”. These headphones use Virtual Retinal Display to enhance the experience of the Oculus Rift.Some augmented reality devices fall under the category of wearables. Augmented reality glasses are currently in development by several corporations. Snap Inc.’s Spectacles are sunglasses that record video from the user’s point of view and pair with a phone to post videos on Snapchat. Microsoft has also delved into this business, releasing Augmented Reality glasses in 2017. The device explores using digital holography, or holograms, to give the user a first hand experience of Augmented Reality.Wearable technology has also expanded from the wrist to apparel. There is a shoe made by the company shiftwear that uses a smartphone application to periodically change the design display on the shoe. The shoe is designed using normal fabric but utilizes a display along the midsection and back that shows a design of your choice. The application was up by 2016 and a prototype for the shoes was created in 2017.Another example of this can be seen with Atari’s headphone speakers. Atari and Audiowear are developing a face cap with built in speakers. The cap will feature speakers built into the underside of the brim, and will have bluetooth capabilities. Many other devices can be considered entertainment wearables and need only be devices worn by the user to experience media.